Multiple sliding door for use in airplane-hangars or other large openings



Y H. A. JOHNSON. MULTIPLE SLIDING DOOR FOR USEIN AIRPLANE HANG'ARS 0ROTHER LARGE OPENINGS.

H. A. JOHNSON. MULTIPLE SLIDING DOOR FOR USE IN AIRPLANE HAN-GARS 0ROTHER LARGE OPENINOS.

APPLICATION FILED .IULY` 11,1919.

Patnted Sept. 1'4, 1920.

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Patented sept. 14,1920.`

H. A. JOHNSON.

[LED JULY 11.1919.

APPLICATION MULTIPLE SLIDING DOOR-FOR USE IN AIRPLANE HANGARS OR OTHERLARGE OPENINGS.

l H. A. JOHNSON. .MULTIPLE SLIDING DOOR FOR USE IN AIRPLANE HA'NGARS OROTHER LARGE OPENINGS.

Patented sept. 14,1920.

APPLICATION FILED JULY III I9I9. 1,352,606,

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H. A. JOHNSON. MULTIPLE SLIDING DOOR FOR USE IN AIRPLANE HANGARS 0ROTHER LARGE OPENINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY II. I9l9.

Patented Sept. 14,1920.

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Inova/nto@ H. A. JOHNSON. MULTIPLE SLIDLNG DOOR FOR USE IN AIRPLANEHANGARS 0R OTHER LARGE OPENLNGS.

APPLICATION FILED J'ULY Il, i919.

Patented'Sept. M, 1920.

l0 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

H. A. JOHNSON. MULTIPLE SLIDING DOOR FOR USE IN AIRPLANE HANQARS 0ROTHER LARGE OPENINGS.

AHPLICATION FILED JULY 11,1919.

Patented Sept. 14, 1920.

l0 SHELTS-SHEET 7.

H. A. JOHNSON. MULTIPLE SLIDING DOOR FOR USE IAN AIRPLANE HANGARS OROTHER LARGE OPENINGS.

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www g f m4@ j SHO/www H. A. JOHNSON. MULTIPLE SLLDLNG DOOR FoR USE INAIRPLANE HANG/LRS 0R OTHER LARGE OPENINGS.

Patented sept. 14., 1920.

` APPLICATION FILED JULY Il, 1919.

I0 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

11.11. JOHNSON. MULTIPLE SLIDING DOOR FDH USE IN AIRPLANE HANGARS 0ROTHER LARGE'OPENINGS.

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' mprovements in UNITED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWAHD .L JOHNSON, or NO'HFOLK, VIRGINIA.

MULTIPLE sLiDiNe Doon. FOB, use 1N AinPLANH-HANGAHS on. OTHER; Lanai: fOPENINGS. i

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. `14, 1920.

Applicatie nea my ii, i919. serial No. 310,000.

To all whom it' may concern:

Be it'known that I, HOWARD a citizen of the 'United States, at Norfolk,Norfolk County, `State of Virinia, have invented certain new and usefulMultiple ySliding Doors for Use in Airplane-Hangars or other LargeOpenings, of whichthe following is aspeci- A.V JoHNsON,

. ication..

with "this invention;

' vention are to provide The present invention relates, to "slidingdoors for large openings and more particularly to such doors foraircraft hangars.

flhefopening in a hangar sions, and' the problem op providing a suitabledoor for such an 'opening presents many diiiiculties.' 'The door beingof large dimensions is very heavy and consequently requires"considerable' power to open and close the same." 1

The principal objects ofthe present ina suitable door which may beopened and closed by power means;

to provide such a door which is supported independently of the buildingso that the weightl of. the door does not 'stress any of the members-ofthe rooflof the building, for

-to provide a door which whenopened may be stored in-a positionparallel4 example with the side. of the 'bui-ldingyto provide a simpleand -dependable power mechanism for opening and closing the door; andgenerallyftc improve'the structure of this class of doors. novelty willfbe apparent `from the descripin which: v i

Figure 1 is 'a horizontalsectional view in outlines through thearrangement of the doors showing `one door `Open and theiotherA closed;J

Fig'.j 2fis a front elevationto al larger a door: constructed inaccordancel 'i "passage-of scale of with thepresentinvention; i

Fig.` 3 lis yay horizontal*A sectional viewk of a hangar equipped withdoors'inv accordance Fig. 4 isa sectional view taken substan`tiallyvontlieline 4:4-4 of F1g.2;= =n Fig. 5 is anrelevatiomofxthe .twosmall sections ofthe door as viewed from the in-f `side thereof.; fif Y.

and residing i,

for the passage of large dimen-l Other objects and features of tially onthe ,line tion taken in connection with the drawings a= hangarillustrating `hangar 20 having,` o

v I Fig. 6 is a top-plan view of the sections of the door shown inFigj.5,;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken substantial-ly 4on the line 7-7 of Fig.3, the door haviitig been opened substantially to this pom Fig. 8 isaside elevation of the truck and cable gripping mechanism .shown in Fig.7 Fig. 9 is a sectional View of the arcuate section of the track'takensubstantially on the line 9-9 of Fig; 8:

Fig. 10 is a sectional View ytaken' substanl tially on the line 10--10of Fig. 2 illustrating the structure forguiding the top of the door; l

- Fig. 11 is an elevation of the parts shown in ,Fig 10; y

. Fig. 12 is a view of a detail showing'in elevation one Of the doorsupporting trucks and its connection with the bottom hinge between apair of the .door sections;

Fig.V 13 is 'a sectional. view taken on the` line 13-13 of Fig. 12;

Figs.i14 and 15 are sectional views simiv` on its pivot to a positionagainst the adjoining section; Fig. 16 illustrating the polar t0 Fig. 1*illustrating modified arrangef sitions ofthe parts' before the sectionis swung around, and Fig".` 17 afterward;

Fig.l 1% is a sectional view taken substan- '18-18 of Fig. 17 ;y Fig.19is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 19-19 of Fig. 20is an elevation in detail, of-a por'- tion of the track. i i y Referringtoig. A1 itswill, be seen that the invention is shown in. connectionwithfa enings21 and `22 in' K. b an airplane ythese openings-are' 1necessarily of large size. .For example, the

its opposite sides. nfforderto allow the openings might be. feet long by26` feet high,

Fig. 17; and

although the invention of course isf`A not limited to doors of anyparticular dimensions.V Furthermore, although a buildf ing havingopenings at its opposite sides isv illustrated, it is Obvious lthat the.invention ,n y. lis equally applicable to a hangarhaving a.

siigle opening only. As shown in Fig. 1

the opening 21,is closed by adoor D and,j

the opening 22 is adapted to beblosed Vby a door D', this latter doorbeing shown in open position and disposed in a position of theconstructions only. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3 it will be seen that thetrack at the bottom of the door comprises a straightsection 23 disposedsubstantially parallel with the length of the opening.

The track also includes angle to the section 23, preferably arrangedsubstantially parallel with one side of the hangar. These two sectionsofv track 23,

`and 24 are connected by an arcuate section '25. Preferably,'thesections 23 and 24 are in the form of tlie usual T-shaped railsv whilethe arcuate section'25 consists of a flat baseV 26 having an upstandingportion 27 substantially rectangular Y-in cross section. 'The outer sideof the portion 27 isl provided with a guide 28 and the base is providedwith a guide 29, for a purpose described hereinafter.

The door consists of a plurality of like sections 30. In the hangarshown kin-Fig. 1

i the depth of the building is less than the opening ofthe hangar, andhence vin order to store-the door at right anglesA to the door openingthe end portion of the door adjacentthe arcuate part o f the track, 25

when the door is closed has two smaller sections 31 and 32, the section32 being hinged to swing around against the section L31. The door issupported on a pluralityof wheeled trucks 33 which run on the tracks,and power means is provided to effect the movement of the door. As shownin Fig.

v 2 there is no truck underl the left hand `end of the small section 32,in order to permit the swinging mentioned above.

is`closed the section 32 occupies the posi'- tion shown at the bottom ofFig. l, that is, a position in continuation ofthe track For the purposeof operating the door a cable 34 is provided. One end of this cable issecured to a drum 35 carried by the upper structure of the `building atthe rightv a section 24 at an truck 33 by the Further-v more, in thepresent instance when the door described hereinafter and illus-'- handend of the bearings so that'the tension of the cable may be kept'at theproperv amount.v From the pulley 37 the cable passes to a pulley 39 andthence to a guide pulley 40which directs the cable to the drum 35,'whereit is secured to the drum opposite the first mentioned end. Consequentlwhen the drum 35 is rotated oneend o the cable is woundf'up while theother end ate section 25 of the track, an endless chainl 43 is disposedto pass around sprocket wheels 44 at the ends of the curved section 25,One limb of this chain is disposed between the cable and the exteriorsurface of the track 25, the other limb extending in a substantiallystraight lineI betweenI the wheels 44. The guides 28 and 29 on the tracksection 25, previously mentioned, act to hold theV chainin position.Thus, when the cable moves it willbear against the curved limb of thechain and the chain will move therewith, thereby carrying the cablearound the curved section 25 of without any wear on the cable. In orderto operate the door from the cable, a cable gripping device 45 isprovided at the right end of the door, as viewed in Fig. 2. Thestructure of this device is shown more in detail in Figs. 7 and 8. Itmay comprise a plate 46 secured toi the .side of the end bolts 47. Anarm 48 is -hinged to theplate 46 as at 49 and the cable iscut and theends secured to the lower end of arm 48 as at 50 and 51; shown in Fig.20, theendof the T rails 23 and .24 have their webs and lower flangescut away, as at 23a for the sprockets 4 4. The free end of the railrests on a seat 25 in the end of the curved track section 25.

Preferably the door sections include a rame consistin of verticalchannels `52 and 53 connected at their tops by a channel 54. As shown inFig. 4 the lower ends of the vertical channels are preferably connectedby an angle iron 55. The `space within the'frame is closed in anysuitable manner as by the slats 56. As shown in Fig. 5, preferably theseslats do not extend continuously throughout the height of( the door butare made in sections, the sections u is simulta-4 neously'unwound.Suitable mechanism 41` drum 35.

the track` As s of the op- L bein securedbin position b the horizontal-rein orcing members' 57. n order to rein.

force the frame, corner plates 58 are provided on the insideof-thedoo'rand corner plates 59 at the top of the sections on thevoutside of the door. k y

The sections 3()v are pivotally connected n by hingesl60 disposed nearthe bottom on the inside .of the .door `as shown in-Figs. 5, 12 and 13.-Thepivot pins61 for these hinges" also form a pivotal connection be-v.

' tween the trucks 33 and the door sections.'

As' shown in Fig. 12 4the pin 61 vat -its lower end is formed with thereducedportion 62 through a small4 angle so that the flanges of .thechannels willL not interfere. Only a slight relative swinging isnecessary to be provided for as .the turning occurs only when thedoor-sections are travelingon the curved track 25.

. The upper ends of the dofor sections 'are connected by the hin econnection 65, pivot i pin 66 of which proJects above the topv of thedoor and carries roller 67 disposed bey 'tween the flanges of thechannel iron 68 secured to the underside of a irdermernber 69 of thebuilding. An anti ricton ball or` roller is disposed-in `the upper endof the pivotpin66 to reduce frictionin case the pin strikes the web ofthe channel. The axis ofthe'pivot pin is ydisposed .in alinementWith'the axis of the pivot pin or` the hinge at the bottom of the doorconnecting the corresponding sections. 68 thus constitutes a-guidewayfor the' top ofthe door and this guideway is arranged parallel with thetrack at'the bottom of the door. It is observed that the entire weightof tliedoor isjcarried on the tracks and the girder 69 is free from allweight of the door. his is. an important feature for the reasonbe-considerably increased if it carried the verv heavy door of thehangar.

o open one'or` the doors constructed in y accordance with this'invention, the section 32 at one end thereof is swung aroun on itshinges71 to a position'flatagainst the section 3.1. The switch 42 isthen turned toeffect rotation of the drum 35 thus operating the cablevwhich through the gripping device will move the door in an openingdirection and this motion will continue until'y the door is rdisposed onthe section 24 of the track in aposition parallel with the side of thehangar. One of the doors in this open position is shown at D in Fig. 1.To close the door the drum 35 is rotated in the opposite direction whichthrough the cable 34 "arm a tie ro secured to the arm adjacent the topof the- The channel returns-the door to its closed position. It

v,will be observed, as the cable gripping de- Vice 45 is .disposedat'the right end of the door as viewed in Fig. 2, the cable does' notneed to extend along the entire length of the section 240i' the trackthus permitting the guide pulley 37 to vbe disposed adjacent the end ofthe curved track 25. Of course this arrangement ofl the cable andpulleys might be modified but the disposition shown is referred. I ncertain cases 1t 1s desirable to provide means for automaticallyswinging the section 32 on its ivot around against the sec- `tionQ31 ofthe oor, and in Figs. 16to 19 inclusive a device for accomplishing thispuin' pose isillustrated.' As shown in igs. 5 and 6'the end of thesection -32 near the 'top thereof isprovided with a pin 72 offsetinwardly and with a roller -73, the latter being provided to guide theend of the section 32 past the columns of the building, such asillustrated at 74". As the door is opened and the section 32 travelsalong thetrack 24 at the side of Nthe buildinf, tlie pin 72 enters acircular cam oove` 13 carried by a plate -74 mounted at the free Iend ofan arm 75 pivotally secured lby means of a bolt 76 to the top of thetoptrack or channel 68.v In order to prevent sagging of this 77 has one endpivotally free end thereof, and the other end ofthe tie rod ispivotallysecured to an eye bolt l78 carried by one ofthe roof purlins 79. The

Apivotal connection 78 is disposed vertically `track 73 will be properlyositioned for the entrance of the pin 72, a orce is applied to the armtohold it against'said stop. As shown for this purpose a weight 82isse-` Icured to a flexible connector l83 which passes that the size4 ofthe girder 69 would have to around a pulley 84 and is secured to the armas at 85. The pulley 84' is carried on a bar86 pivotally supported at87. Thus the weight 82 acting through the connector 83 tends to hold thearm against the stop l80.-

In the operation of this device, when the door isv moved-in the openingdirection, the pin 72 enters the cam groove or track 73, and as the doorcontinues its opening movement said pin travels in s'aidtrack, the arm75 simultaneously. swinging about'its `pivot substantially 180 until thedoor is guided positively and continuously to the position illustratedin Fig. 17. In order that the section 32 ofthe door will beparallel-with '.rangements are illustrated in which ,the

straight section of the .track is somewhat greater than thelength of theopening of the door. Thus in Fig. 14 the opening 22 is closed by thesections 30i of the door and one section 30b is on the curved section ofthe track. As the end ofthe section 30" is adjacent the end of thestraight section 24 ofv the track the cable attaching arm a may bedisposed atthis end, thus avoiding the necessity for guiding the cablearound the curved section of the track.`V Thus a pulley 100 is disposedat the end of the curved section of the track, and the cable 34a fromthe motor passes around the guide pulley 101, thence along the side ofthe track 24 to the pulley 100, thence back to a guide pulley 102 and tothe drum of the Aoperating apparatus. Again, if the opening 22a of thedoor is less than the straight section 23 of the track,' as described inconnection with Fig. 4, the cable may, if desired, be disposed inconnection with the section 23 of the track, this arrangement beingillustrated in Fig..15. In said figure the door is shown in` openposition, the end section 30b being on the curved section of the track.The cable 34b for opf erating the door passes from the 'hoistingapparatus to a guide pulley 103, thence along the side of the track to apulley 104 disposed at the end of the straight section 23.

From the pulley 104the cable passes back to a guide 105 andtlienceto thehoisting apparatus. The cable attaching argn 45h is secured to the endof the section 30Ir of the door.

Although a specific embodiment of the yinvention has been described indetail it. is

to be understoodv that it includes changes and modifications whichcomewithin the scope of the appended claims.

Havingv thus described the invention what is claimed as newIand desiredto be'secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A flexible sliding door, comprising sections hinged togethervertically, a supportand upon which the door travels and having a curvedportion, guiding means for the top of the door, said rail being locatedin a depression in the floor of the building to which the door isapplied, a flexible cable for operating said door, located in saiddepression, friction reducing means for guiding said cable along saidrail, and means for operating said cable to 4open and close said door.

2. A flexible slidingl door, comprising a supporting rail having twosections at an angle to each other and a curved connecting portion, acable, means guiding the cable for movement' parallel to the track,including an endless-chain, a part of which is guide parallel to saidcurved portion of the rail,

.the cable bearing against the outer side of said part-of the chain- 3.`A flexible sliding door, comprising a supporting rail having twosections at an angle to each other and a 'curved connecting portion,a'cable, means guiding the cable for. cmovement parallel to the track,including a wheel at each end of the curved portion of the rail, .anendless-chain passing around said kwheels and arranged to travel on theoutside of said curved portion against which the cable bears as itpasses said curved portio'n.'

4. A fiexible sliding door, comprising a supporting rail having twosections at an angle to each other and having a curved connectingportion, a cable, means for guiding' the cable for movement parallel tosaid rail said lmeans comprising a'slidable member movable with saidcable and located between said cable and the curved portionof said railand bearing against the latter,

5. A iieXible sliding door lcomprising a depressed supporting rail havintions at an angle to each other an having a Icurved connecting portion,a movable cable disposed parallel to andalong said depressed twosecrail, and friction reducing bearing means y for the cable adapted totravel between the.

an end section hinged position adjacent its spring means tending to holdsaid end section in alinement with said door, rolling means supportingsaid door, andI means, acting positively to swing said end sectionsubstantially 180 on its hinges,

'as the door is moved longitudinally.

comprising a` 7. A flexible 'sliding door hinged end section adapted toswing about the edge ofthe adjacent 'section and a continuous guideacting positively section substantially 180O on its hinges as the dooris opened and closed.

8. A fieXible sliding door comprising an end section hinged to swingabout the edge of the adjacent section .to a position facing tlie saidadjacent section and means acting positively to swing said end sectionon its hinges substantially 180O as the door is opened and closed, saidmeans including a pin on the end section and a member having doorcomprisingver-J to swing saidl a cam groove to receive and guide saidpin i during the Swinging movement of said end Section.

9. A exible sliding'door comprising an end section hinged to swing aboutthe edge 5 of an adjacent section to a position facing Said adjacentSection and means acting positively to swing said end sectionsubstantially 180o on its hinges as the door is opened and closed, saidmeans-including a pin on the end section, and a pivoted member having a10 semi-eircuhur cam groove therein adapted to guide the pin during theswinging movement of said end section.

In testimony whereof I affix my Signature.

HGWARD A. JOHNSON.

